Ionosphera-M / Ionosfera-M

Quick facts

Overview

Summary

Mission Capabilities

Each Ionosphera-M satellite carries eight instruments: the Ionospheric Plasma Energy Spectrometer (ESIP), the Ozonometer-TM instrument, the Low Frequency Wave Complex (NVK-2), the GPS total electron content receiver (PES), the Plasma and Energetic Radiation Spectrometer (SPER/1), the Galactic Cosmic Ray Spectrometer (GALS/1), the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (SG/1), and the Satellite Topside Sounder (Laertes).

The four spectrometers, ESIP, SPER/1, GALS/1 and SG/1, each measure different characteristics of the ionospheric plasma and the particles and radiation it is composed of. ESIP is an energetic particle spectrometer that measures the characteristics of ionospheric plasma. SPER/1 is an energetic particle spectrometer that will measure the differential energy spectra of electrons and protons, while GALS/1 is a heavy ion mass spectrometer that measures proton flux density, and SG/1 monitors X-ray and Gamma ray radiation. Additionally, the Ozonometer-TM cross-nadir shortwave sounder conducts measurements of the intensity of UV radiation, and the NVK-2 magnetometer aims to measure magnetic and electric field oscillations from Low Earth Orbit (LEO). PES is a magnetospheric energetic particle sensor that will determine the altitude distribution of electron concentration. Finally, Laertes is a radio wave sounder that measures electron density and total electron content.

Performance Specifications

ESIP has an energy range of 1 keV - 50 keV, while SPER/1 measures the differential energy spectra of electrons and protons in the low energy range of 0.05 keV - 20 keV, as well as electron spectra in the range 0.1 MeV - 10 MeV and proton spectra in the range 1 MeV - 100 MeV. GALS/1 measures proton flux density at energies greater than 600 MeV, and SG/1 monitors X-ray and Gamma ray radiation in the energy range 0.2 MeV - 10.0 MeV.

Ozonometer-TM has a spectral range of 300 nm - 400 nm. NVK-2 measures magnetic and electric field oscillations in the frequency range 0.1 kHz - 20 kHz. Laertes measures electron density and total ionospheric electron content using a 137 MHz transmitter for the frequency range 0.1 MHz - 20.0 MHz.

All four Ionosphera-M satellites orbit at an altitude of approximately 800 km, with two satellites operating in alignment with the Earth’s terminator (the line that separates day and night) and two satellites at a 90° angle to this.

Overview

Ionosphera-M is a constellation of four earth observing satellites, aiming to observe ionospheric processes, and designed and developed by Roscosmos, the Russian state corporation for space activities. The constellation will observe the effects of solar and geomagnetic activity, including both natural and man-made irregularities and ionosphere disturbances. The mission also plans to include a fifth satellite, the Zond-M spacecraft, which will conduct solar observations, including measurements of solar cosmic ray fluxes and hard electromagnetic radiation and mapping of the Sun and near-solar space in the ultraviolet and visible spectral ranges.

The ionosphere is a section of the Earth’s upper atmosphere that ranges approximately 85 km to 600 km above Earth’s surface. In this layer of the atmosphere, Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray solar radiation ionise the particles and generate a layer of free electrons.The ionosphere is highly variable, as particles undergo photoionisation when exposed to the sun, and return to a neutral state when shielded by the Earth. Additionally, the degree of ionisation in the ionosphere varies based on solar activity, as periods associated with increased sunspot activity will lead to an increase in coronal heating and EUV/X-ray radiation, increasing ionisation and causing the ionosphere to expand. This variability in ionisation can impact satellites orbiting in the ionosphere, as sudden swells of charged particles from the expanding atmosphere increase drag, impacting the orbit lifetime of satellites. Furthermore, ionosphere fluctuations can result in disturbances to radio signals, which are reflected off the ionosphere, and GPS signals which pass through it. Ionosphera-M will conduct a study of this region by deploying instruments that measure basic plasma parameters, the concentration, temperature and direction of particles, as well as the characteristics of electromagnetic fields and waves. 1) 4) 6)

Orbit

The four Ionosphera-M satellites will each orbit in a circular sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 800 km across two different orbital planes, with two satellites in the plane of the Earth’s terminator, the zone separating the daylit and dark sides of the Earth, and two satellites at a 90° angle to this plane. 2) 3) 5)

Sensor Complement

Ionospheric Plasma Energy Spectrometer

The Ionospheric Plasma Energy Spectrometer (ESIP) is an energetic particle spectrometer that measures the local characteristics of ionospheric plasma along the satellite track. It conducts spectroscopic observations of electrons, protons, alpha particles and ions in the energy range 1 keV- 50 keV. ESIP will be carried on all four Ionosphera-M satellites. 5)

Ozonometer-TM

The Ozonometer-TM instrument is a cross-nadir shortwave sounder that conducts spectroscopic measurements of the intensity of UV radiation reflected by Earth’s atmosphere. The instrument has a spectral range of 300 nm - 400 nm. 5)

Low Frequency Wave Complex

The Low Frequency Wave Complex (NVK-2) is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) magnetometer and field sensor that aims to measure magnetic and electric field oscillations in the ionosphere to infer plasma density, within the frequency range 0.1 kHz - 20 kHz. 5)

GPS Total Electron Content Receiver

The GPS total electron content receiver (PES) is a magnetospheric energetic particle sensor that aims to determine the altitude distribution of electron concentration in Earth’s ionosphere. PES uses GPS and GLONASS, a Russian satellite navigation system, radio occultation measurements to determine this electron concentration. Radio occultation refers to the passive detection of GPS or other Earth-pointing radio waves as they pass through the ionosphere, as shown in Figure 1, or as they are reflected off the Earth’s surface. PES will observe the Earth’s ionosphere. 5)

Plasma and Energetic Radiation Spectrometer

The Plasma and Energetic radiation Spectrometer (SPER/1) is an energetic particle spectrometer that measures the differential energy spectra of electrons and protons in the low energy range of 0.05 keV - 20 keV, as well as electron spectra in the range 0.1 MeV - 10 MeV and proton spectra in the range 1 MeV - 100 MeV. 5)

Galactic Cosmic Ray Spectrometer

The Galactic Cosmic Ray Spectrometer (GALS/1) is a heavy ion mass spectrometer that measures proton flux density at energies greater than 600 MeV. GALS/1 includes a Cherenkov detector, a particle detector that can identify the type of an electrically charged subatomic particle of known momentum, that is used to identify and sort observed particles into one of three energy bands. The instrument also incorporates a geiger counter into its design, used to sort total proton and electron flux density into four different bands. 4) 5)

Gamma Ray Spectrometer

The Gamma Ray Spectrometer (SG/1) monitors X-ray and Gamma ray radiation in the energy range 0.2 MeV - 10.0 MeV. 5)

Satellite Topside Sounder (Laertes)

The Satellite Topside Sounder (Laertes) is an ionosonde, a radio wave sounder specifically designed for measurements and observations of the ionosphere. Laertes will measure electron density and total ionospheric electron content and is an active system, consisting of a 137 MHz transmitter for the frequency range 0.1 MHz - 20.0 MHz. The instrument consists of a transmitter, onboard receiving device, signal processing unit, transmitting antenna, receiving antenna and preamplifiers. Ionospheric sounding will be conducted through 100 µs radio pulses with a repetition rate of 60 Hz. 5) 7)

Ground Segment

The four Ionosphera-M satellites will not communicate with each other in orbit, instead relaying all collected data to three ground stations, located across the European, Siberian and Eastern regions of Russia.

References

1) “Ionosfera 1, 2, 3, 4 - Gunter's Space Page.” Gunter's Space Page, 21 December 2023, URL: https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ionosfera.htm

2) “Ionosfera-M 3, 4.” Impulso Space, URL: https://impulso.space/launch/fdbc7546-a874-4642-a0d2-70c4ae547941/

3) “Ionosphera-M N1 and N2.” OSCAR WMO, URL: https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/ionosphera_m_n1_n2

4) “Ionosphere-M: a Fleet of Thermometers in Space.” Space Voyage, URL: https://www.spacevoyaging.com/ionosphere-m-a-fleet-of-thermometers-in-space/

5) “Ionozond.” OSCAR WMO, URL: https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satelliteprogrammes/view/ionozond

6) “IONOZOND | Space Research Institute - IKI.” ИКИ РАН, URL: https://iki.cosmos.ru/en/research/missions/ionozond

7) Ivanov, Igor, and Olga Maltseva. “Reverse Satellite Transionospheric Sounding: Advantages and Prospects.” IntechOpen, URL: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/63408

8) “Monitoring of Physical Processes in Upper Atmosphere, Ionosphere and Magnetosphere in Ionosphere Space Missions.” ADS, URL: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021EPJWC.25402010P/abstract

9) “Ten satellites may join Russian remote sensing satellite constellation in 2024 - Roscosmos.” Interfax, 28 December 2023, URL: https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/98064/